In Sickness and In Health
by BeethovenRIP
Summary: I take you to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. One letter and one result could upset everything. I really hope I do not upset anyone by this story, I am unsure whether to leave it as a ONESHOT or develop it. Please read and review.


**A / N – Obviously writing documents, sorting out paperwork wasn't really on the agenda for my mind today. God only knows where this came from, I think I was watching something on TV and had a thought. I would like to say that the content is not designed to upset anyone that is far from my intention, if it does, I will delete it. I do not know (depending on response) whether to keep this as an ONESHOT or develop the story further. Anyway, hope you enjoy. **

'Dix, you got a letter' Jeff shouted up the stairs as he walked down the hall into the kitchen placing the letters on the table.

'OK mate, I will be down in a sec.' she shouted back whilst juggling washing cursing the fact that Jeff had left his dirty washing all over the bedroom floor again. Picking it up and sorting it into piles, she picked up the largest one and headed downstairs to put the wash load on.

'You know, it would really help me out it I didn't have to pick up your dirty clothes from the floor, are you incapable of walking three steps to put it in the box?' she asked as she threw the washing into the machine.

'No, but, why have a dog and bark yourself? You pick up my washing so well; I would hate to take that away from you.' He smirked placing down a mug of tea for her at the table.

'You are going to have to do it sooner or later Jeffrey, I won't be around forever you know and I don't think at the ripe old age of 90, I want to be bending down to pick them up.'

'90, bloody hell, you plan on living that long?'

'Yes, just to annoy you. That is my sole mission in life Jeffrey, to get right up your nose.' Dixie responded as she opened her letter.

Jeff was about to respond when he saw Dixie's facial expression change from one of jest to one of worry. 'You OK Princess? Everything OK?'

Dixie sat staring at the letter unable to take her eyes off the words that were printed in front of her. She didn't hear what Jeff had said to her, she was completely dumbstruck at what she was reading.

'Dix' Jeff said again a little louder as he moved closer to her.

Snapping herself out of her trance, Dixie folded the letter up and looked at her husband, 'sorry, what did you say?'

'I asked you if you were alright, one minute you are telling me you are going to be living till you are 90 then you have gone all quiet.'

Dixie felt a sudden pain of sadness, she wished she hadn't joked about living until she was 90; the chances of that happening now were looking slim. She had hoped a mistake had been made, but for now, she placed the letter in her pocket deciding to deal with it when Jeff wasn't around. She couldn't face that at the moment.

Watching her movements, Jeff felt slightly on edge, she normally told him the content of the letters she received and he her, so the fact that she was hiding this one must have meant something was wrong. Sitting down next to her at the table, he asked 'you sure everything is OK Princess?'

'Yeah, everything is fine mate, honestly, don't worry.'

'Well, you know where I am if you need me.' He said getting up with his mug in his hand

'And where will that be then?' she replied

'In the garden, I thought as you were doing the washing, you might want to hang it out as the weather looks good, so, I thought I would cut the grass beforehand.'

'Why have you suddenly become so considerate? What are you up to Jeffrey?'

'Nothing'

'Jeffrey, what do you want? You only do things when you are either up to something or want something. Which is it?'

'None of the above Princess, I do it because I care.'

'Yeah, I am not so sure about that one.' She called after him as he closed the back door pulling a face at her through the glass.

Dixie sat there for a few minutes making sure Jeff was suitably busy in the garden and wouldn't burst in through the door at any second. She needed to phone them and she thought there was no time like the present. Checking again that Jeff was occupied, she pulled the letter out of her pocket, grabbing the phone, she dialled the number.

'Good Morning Dr Harding's surgery, how can I help?' came the voice of the bored sounding receptionist; Dixie didn't really get on with her so wasn't really impressed when she answered the phone. They had a bit or an argument a few weeks back when Dixie went in, she handed in her prescription for an inhaler and the receptionist had moaned about people not realising how much these things cost. Dixie had made some comment about knowing perfectly well and that she should keep her opinions to herself and just get it sorted.

'Good Moring, I was wondering if I could talk to someone about a letter I received this morning please'

She heard the receptionist sigh before she spoke, 'Can I have your name please?'

'Kathleen Collier.' Dixie could have sworn she heard another sigh and something being muttered, but she chose to ignore it.

'Hang on a minute; I will just get your medical history up on the computer.'

'No problem' Dixie responded trying to sound cheery while at the same time moving over to the kitchen window to check on the whereabouts of Jeff. She was relieved to see him still at the end of the garden mowing away quite happily.

'Right, so, what is the problem then Mrs Collier?' the dreary voice asked.

'Well, I came in a few weeks ago for a routine smear test and I received the letter this morning. It is telling me that I should contact the surgery as there are abnormalities that need to be investigated.' Dixie tried to remain calm.

'Right, well, don't get too worked up about it Mrs Collier, the abnormalities could be anything like an incomplete sample, the solution could be contaminated, don't jump to the worst case scenario.'

'I know, but, when you get a letter like this it is just a shock that's all.'

'Can you come in today to see Dr Harding?'

'Yes, I am not at work today so that is fine.'

She heard the receptionist clicking around on her computer, even though she was told not to worry, Dixie couldn't help herself.

'He has a free appointment at 12.30, is that OK.'

'Yes that's fine, thank you.'

'As I said, don't worry about it, Doctor will be able to talk you through it and what needs to happen now. It is probably just nothing.'

'Well let's hope.' Dixie replied before thanking the receptionist again and hanging up. Looking up at the clock she had two hours to occupy herself before her appointment. What am I going to do? She thought to herself. Turning back to look out of the kitchen window, she noticed Jeff had disappeared, she wondered again about telling him, however, she thought it would be best to see what the Doctor said first, she didn't want to worry him unnecessarily. Opening the back door, Dixie walked out onto the decking to locate Jeff trying to maintain a sense of composure.

'Bloody cats' he said as she approached him.

'What now?'

'Next doors cat using our garden as its litter tray, I now have cat pooh stuck on the blades of the mower. Bloody charming.'

'No, that's what I call karma, which is your payback for leaving your dirty boxers on the floor for me to pick up; cat pooh on the mower is your punishment.' Dixie replied moving to lean against the post.

'You cannot liken my dirty boxers to this.' He said as he held up his gloved hands that were covered.

'Oh I dunno about that.' Dixie replied as she let out a small laugh as she watched Jeff kneel in front of the up turned lawn mower trying to clean it off. Her moment of happiness was short lived as she thought again about her letter, her appointment and what the outcome could be. She couldn't imagine not being here anymore, she couldn't imagine life without Jeff. She hoped to God that the surgery had made a mistake and that everything will turn out alright in the end. Either way, there was nothing she could do until 12:30; she just had to carry on as normal.

Turning back to Jeff, she decided normal was making fun of him and that is exactly what she did.

'You are making a right meal out of that mate.'

'Its disgusting Dix, it has got everywhere.'

'Yeah, like your washing.'

'Right, that does it, come here you.' Jeff said as he got up and proceeded to chase Dixie around the garden holding out his mucky gloves pretending to grab her with them. As Dixie ran away from him she giggled and screamed as he got closer.

'Don't you dare come anywhere near me with those mucky gloves. GET OFF!' she squealed.

'I am not going to give up until I have caught you Mrs Collier. Are you going to give up?'

'No, never.'

Jeff continued to chase Dixie around their garden jumping over plant pots and chairs to try and cut her off. As he did, he removed the gloves throwing them back over to the lawnmower; he was determined to bring her down.

'ARRRRRGHHH' Dixie screamed as Jeff launched at her, grabbing her by the waist and pulled her down onto the grass with him.

'Get off me you silly sod.' Dixie said as she tried to wriggle out of his grip.

'Got you now, am not letting go.'

Dixie relaxed back onto the grass into a laugh as she realised that the whole scene would have looked weird to their neighbours.

'What must the neighbours think of us?' she said to Jeff.

'That we are two nutters who work silly shifts and chase each other around the place.' Jeff replied loosening his hold on Dixie so she could get up.

'They probably think a lot worse than that love judging by the look we have just been given from next door.' Dixie said pointing to their neighbour. She brushed herself down before turning around with her hand outstretched to help Jeff up, but was stopped dead. In his hand was the letter, her letter. It must have fallen out when he tackled her to the ground. Dixie didn't know what to say, her face had turned white, pretty much the same colour as Jeff's face now was.

'Why didn't you tell me?' he asked her, his hands were shaking as he looked up into her face. 'Dix, why didn't you tell me?'

'It's nothing mate, honestly.'

'What do you mean it's nothing? Dix, you have a letter here saying they have found abnormalities, how the hell can you say it is nothing.'

'It could have just been a dodgy test; you know they happen as well as I do.' Dixie said moving closer to pull Jeff up and take the letter from his hand.

'Babe, this is not nothing, it is a big worry.'

'Mate, it will be fine. I am going to see the Doctors later anyway.'

'When were you going to tell me? Or, where you not going to?' Jeff asked

Dixie fiddled with the letter and looked down at the floor.

'Well, what time is you appointment?'

'Half twelve.'

Jeff looked at this watch, 'right, we have an hour or so.'

'I can go on my own.'

'No, I am coming with you Dix, you are not doing this on your own, I won't let you.'

'Jeff, it could be nothing, I might just have to have another one done and that could be normal. Then there has been all this worry over nothing.'

'Well, the way I see it Dix, if it is nothing, I will cook dinner for a month, if it is something, and I hope to God it isn't, then you will cook dinner for a month. Either way, as much as it pains me to say it, I still want you around at the ripe old age of 90 picking my dirty boxers up from the bedroom floor.'

'Ewww' Dixie said as she playfully slapped him on the arm. She knew she should have told him earlier and now he knew, it made everything seem OK. She knew that whatever the outcome, Jeff would be by her side, no matter what.

_**A / N – So there it is, quite fluffy in places so apologies for that. **_


End file.
